8 Defining Sports Moments That Changed The World

Tommie Smith and John Carlos Raise Their Fists (1968)

As the American national anthem played at the Mexico City Olympics, sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists in a silent protest against racial injustice. They were immediately expelled from the Games and faced death threats, but their image became one of the most iconic statements in sports history. Years later, both were honored, and their gesture remains a powerful symbol of athletes using their platform for change.